Rustle—

Stone fragments scattered around, and small clouds of dust swirled in the wind, leaving a lingering sense of chaos.

The subtle heat in the air quickly faded, swept away by the winter breeze.

“What just… happened?”

A nameless martial artist from one of the prominent families muttered quietly, and with that, the previously silent surroundings erupted into a chorus of voices.

“They said it was mixed with Ten Thousand-Year Cold Iron! How did it end up like that?”

“There’s a hole in it!”

While the others taking the exam had barely managed to make a tiny scratch to pass, …